Unrealistic expectations. We’ve all faced them in some area of our lives. Maybe for some it had to do with some hobby we’ve took on. For others it might have been a particular job. It could have been in a marriage, in child rearing, in a move. So many times we make decisions with a vision of what we assume the outcome will be only to figure out that we didn’t quite walk into the situation with eyes wide open.
It might be that a person has similar unrealistic expectations with regard to religion. They commit themselves to a life with Christ and assume that Christianity will make all of their problems immediately and automatically go away. So they become a Christian and guess what…that doesn’t happen. Life doesn’t immediately become perfect and so what most often happens then. They quit. It’s too tough, they can’t deal with it, so they quit.
But why? Because they weren’t prepared for what was going to come. There are no promises that Christianity is going to be a life of simplicity or ease. At least none in the Bible. Preachers and teachers and writers, though, have a way of making promises that God never did. But God never offered a life of ease. He never said our days would be full of sunshine and rainbows. In fact, He guaranteed that every so often there would be some storms that would come. It’s to God’s promises that we need to look in order to enter a life of Christianity with our eyes wide open. And when we do, these are the promises that we’ll find:
- “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake” (Matthew 10:22). Jesus warned time and time again that while Christianity was intended to be a unifying religion of peace and harmony that because of some men’s staunch opposition that families, friends, even society would be divided (Luke 14:26). So the reality is that our stature in this world will not be increased simply because of our allegiance to Christ. In fact, like Paul warned Timothy: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
- “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Regardless of what evil may befall us, if we truly love God and are committed to His service, Paul promised that the sum total of our lives will still render great and eternal good. It may be hard at times to see that light through the darkness, but by faith we can know that it is there. We just have to be willing to wait and hope.
- “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). While God did not promise that Christianity would ease our burden in this life, He has promised that if we will endure this life that the next life will be a life of rest. And what a life it will be! It will be a place where God “shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
Simply put, that’s what Christianity offers. Sure we may have to suffer hardship in this life. In fact, it is guaranteed. But after this life what a future awaits. In that way, the life of a Christian is one that no one will ever regret. But at the same time it is extremely helpful if we enter that life with our eyes wide open.
-Andy Brewer